'Paranoid' Pete Hegseth fired highest-ranking US Army officer amid Iran war 'because he was threatened by him'

By STEPHEN M. LEPORE, US SENIOR REPORTER Published: 05:05, 4 April 2026 | Updated: 05:05, 4 April 2026 Pete Hegseth has been described as 'paranoid' after he allegedly fired the highest ranking US Army officer because he felt his position was 'threatened' by him. General Randy George, a Biden appointee, was told to step down and take immediate retirement on Thursday, on a day where rumors flew about both Hegseth and Donald Trump cleaning house.  The New York Post reported Friday that one of the potential cabinet members on the chopping block, Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, led to George's firing because the two are close. George was Driscoll's top aide and an official said that Hegseth has been worried Driscoll would replace him ever since the infamous March 2025 group chat fiasco.  'This is all driven by the insecurity and paranoia that Pete has developed since Signal-gate. Unfortunately, it is stoked by some of his closest aides who should be trying to calm the waters,' they said.  The White House backed Driscoll in a statement last night and a source said Hegseth 'can't fire' Driscoll for the time being.  'He is very concerned about being fired and he knows that Driscoll is one of the top contenders, or a natural contender, to succeed him,' the source added. The firing of George is an attempt to get rid of anyone perceived to be an ally of Driscoll, who is also said to be close to Vice President JD Vance. Pete Hegseth has been described as 'paranoid' amid changes at the Pentagon and allegedly fired the highest ranking US Army officer because he felt he was 'threatened' by him Hegseth is said to be worried that Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll (pictured) will replace him. His closeness to General Randy George is the rumored reason he got fired 'Essentially Hegseth has frozen him out and tried to sideline him behind the scenes. Hegseth wants to fire him, but Vance has his back.' A second source claims that Driscoll's involvement in negotiations with Ukraine have Hegseth worried. 'Pete got very paranoid about Driscoll talking behind his back to others in the military.  'It's really gotten under Hegseth's skin. He's trying to make everyone around [Driscoll] suffer for no reason.' Another administration official, who remained anonymous, said that if Driscoll were fired, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell is 'pushing himself' to replace him. 'Sean is focused on the job he has now, as is Army Secretary Driscoll,' a senior Pentagon official told The Daily Mail.  'It wouldn't be out of line to speculate that Sean would be considered as a successor as he is one of the highest profile Army veterans serving at the top of Department right now, but both men are focused on serving the President and doing the job they have now.'  However, they added that Parnell lobbying for Driscoll's job is 'outsider spewing nonsense.'  When reached by The Daily Mail for comment, Parnell denied any conflict with Driscoll.  US Army Vice Chief of Staff General Randy George was let go by Hegseth on Thursday The firing of George by Hegseth is an attempt to get rid of anyone perceived to be an ally of Driscoll, who is also said to be close to Vice President JD Vance 'Secretary Hegseth maintains excellent working relationships with the secretaries of every military service branch, including Army Secretary Dan Driscoll.' A spokesperson for the White House backed Driscoll among several cabinet members who were said to be on the chopping block by anonymous sources. 'President Trump has the most talented cabinet and team in American history.  'Patriots like Kash Patel, Lori Chavez-DeRemer, and Dan Driscoll are tirelessly implementing the President's agenda and achieving tremendous results for the American people.' Last night, following George's departure, the Pentagon confirmed to the Daily Mail that two more high-level members of the Army had been fired: General David Hodne, head of the Army Transformation and Training Command; and Major General William Green Jr, the head of the Army's chaplain corps. Ousted General Hodne ran a department started by Biden-appointed General George, who was told to step down and take immediate retirement, CBS News reported. A Pentagon official said: 'We are grateful for his service, but it was time for a leadership change in the Army.' George is understood to have clashed with the Trump Administration's vision for the Army. Vice Chief of Staff General Christopher LaNeve, a former aide to Hegseth, will be the Army's acting chief of staff.  Another administration official, who remained anonymous, said that if Driscoll were fired, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell (pictured) is 'pushing himself' to replace him A spokesperson for the White House backed Driscoll among several cabinet members who were said to be on the chopping block by anonymous sources  Parnell described LaNeve as 'a battle-tested leader with decades of operational experience and is completely trusted by Secretary Hegseth to carry out the vision of this administration without fault.' Hegseth's decision comes as 50,000 US troops are deployed in the Middle East ahead of a possible ground invasion in Iran. George was the senior-most uniformed officer in the Army - a four-star general and the 41st Chief of Staff responsible for organizing, training and equipping more than one million soldiers, though not a field commander directing tactical strikes. George reported to General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Army Secretary Driscoll, the civilian head of the branch; and Hegseth, whose highest military rank was as an Army major. George was confirmed by the Senate in 2023, meaning he is significantly short of completing the typical four-year term. Hegseth has purged more than a dozen senior officers, including Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General CQ Brown, Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Lisa Franchetti, the Air Force Vice Chief of Staff General James Slife and the head of the Defense Intelligence Agency Lieutenant General Jeffrey Kruse. George's firing comes as the war in Iran remains extremely volatile with no end in sight. Donald Trump vowed in a prime-time address Wednesday to bomb Iran 'back to the Stone Ages', claiming the conflict would wrap within two to three weeks.  Oil prices spiked on the news as the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's crude flows, remains strangled by the Islamic regime. The Trump administration says that it is negotiating with Iran - claims which Tehran has rejected. Trump has suggested in recent days he would be prepared to quit the war without securing the Strait, leaving it to Arab and European allies.  The Pentagon has meanwhile furnished the President with audacious plans to seize Iran's uranium with thousands of Marines and paratroopers now in the region. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? 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